Don't Be Afraid to Incorporate Metallics Into Your Embroidery Designs!

In the vast sea of embroidery that only uses a 40 weight Rayon or Polyester thread, an easy way to stand out from the crowd is to incorporate metallic threads into your embroidery repertoire. A good introductory metallic thread would be a 50 weight, such as our FS #50.

Pat Williams used FS #50 Gold 3 and FS #40 Astro - to achieve her elegant "Fit for a King" design. 

The "FS" in our FS metallic stands for "fine silver", referring to its actual metallic content. A thin metallic thread, FS #50, is the easiest to run, and often can be substituted in a design digitized for a 40 weight thread. It is capable of impressive shading and can produce letters down to 4mm high - perfect for small lettering on logos, fine monograms and filigree embroidery.

"Gold Fish" created using FS #50 and Classic Rayon #40 by Rich Medcraft, a digitizer in Washington.

Tips on experimenting with metallic threads:

• If you're new to running metallic threads, start with our FS #50 and incorporate it into any design that's been digitized for 40 weight.
• For FS #50, we recommend using a #75/11 large eye needle, although you may also use a #75/11 standard eye needle if you'd prefer.
• Reduce the tension on your machine slightly and drop the speed down to 600-650spm.
• Avoid designs with lots of small detail.

To learn more about running our FS #50 embroidery thread, feel free to request a FS #50 Recipe Card. Madeira's 22 Specialty Thread Recipe Cards will be released throughout the year. Click here for additional information.